Dyeing of yarns



Patented Sept. 19, .1933

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl CE to Celanese Corporati ration of Delaware No Drawing.

on of America, a corpo- Application June. 11, 1928 Serial No. 284,673

9 Claims.

tes to a method of dyeing This invention rela or other packyarns while running to a winding aging device.

An object of my invention is to dye yarns while they arerunning to a packaging device either from another package or from a spinning machine where they are formed.

A further object of my invention is to dye yarn by applying to the same a fluid containing adye for the yarn dissolved in an organic solvent. Further objects of my invention will appear from the following detailed description.

I have found that when solutions of dyes in certain organic solvents are applied to yarns of various kinds, but particularly cellulose acetate yarns, the dyeing is so rapid and homogeneous that such solutions may be used to dye yarns while they are in rapid transit to a bobbin, cop or other package.

In accordance with my invention, I apply to yarn of any suitable material a fluid containing a dye for the yarn dissolved in an organic solvent by means of any suitable device, such as is used for applying a lubricant to yarns.

The yarns that may be dyed in accordance with my invention may be of any nature; While it may be applied to yarns of fibres such as silk, wool, cotton, reconstituted cellulose (rayon) flax, etc., it is particularly advantageous when applied 30 for the dyeing of yarns. containing organic derivatives of cellulose, such as organic esters of cellulose and cellulose ethers. Examples of organic esters of cellulose are cellulose acetate, cellulose formate, cellulose propionate and cellulose 35 butyrate; while examples of cellulose ethers are ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and benzyl cellulose. The yarns to be treated may consist of only one of the above named materials or it may be a composite yarn containing mixtures of these. v The organic solvent to be used may be of any suitable nature. Thus it may be a relatively volatile solvent such as benzene, toluene, xylene, dichlorethylene, trichlorethylene, ethylene dichloride, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, propyl 45 alcohol, emyl alcohol, butyl alcohol, etc. as is set forth in my prior application 223,239 filed Sept.

30, 1927, of which this application is in part a continuation.

However, I prefer to employ relatively nonvola- 50 tile solvents and particularly the polyhydric alcohols and their derivatives as set forth in my copending application 262,597 filed March 1'7,

1928 of which this application is also in part a continuation. I prefer these polyhydric alcohols 55 and their derivatives because of the fact that they produce satisfactory dyeing and yet evaporate slowly, thus obviating the unpleasant and harmful vapors and fumes which result from the use of the volatile solvents.

Examples of such relative nonvolatile solvents are: polyhydric alcohols, such as glycerol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol; the ethers of polyhydric alcohols, which include the mono ethers such as mono ethyl ether of ethylene glycol or the mono ethyl ethers of diethylene glycol; and the diethers of polyhydric alcohols, such as the diethyl ether of diethylene glycol. Obviously instead of using one of the above polyhydric alcohols or their ethers, a mixture of two or more of these may be used. The above and similar compounds are included in the term polyhydric alcohols and their esters and ethers as used in the claims. While glycerol may be use the dyeing liquid, the glycols or other ethers are preferable since glycerol has the objectionable property of leaving sticky deposits on the apparatus, with-which the treated yarn comes in contact, such as cap-edges, fliers, travellers, etc. whereas the glycols or their ethers do not behave 30 in this manner.

If desired, water may be added in any suitable amount to the solution of the dyestuff in the organic solvent and also thickening materials such as starch, gum arabic, gum tragacanth, etc. 5 may be added to form a paste. While these thickening agents may be employed with satisfaction in cases where the more volatile solvents are used; in those instances where the polyhydric alcohols or their derivatives are employed, the use of thickening agents is not essential and does not produce quite as satisfactory and excellent results as may be obtained by the use of simple solutions of the. dyes in the organic solvent or solvents employed. Since many of the polyhydric alcohols and their ethers are hydroscopic, I prefer to add sufiicient water to the fluid to bring the aqueous concentration to at least that of the maximum amount of water these alcohols or ethers tend to absorb from the atmosphere, in order to prevent change of volume, viscosity and concentration of dyeing fluid. Thus glycerol absorbs water to the extent of about 33% of its original weight from the air, ethylene glycol absorbs 3 to 4% and diethylene glycol, 30% of water; and therefore, when either of these liquids are used, I prefer to add water in amounts corresponding to the respective percentages set forth.

I have found that he presence of these amounts d as the solvent in bility of the dyestuifs in these organic solvents, nor does it interfere with the uniformity of dyeing, despite the fact that the dyestufis that I prefer to use are insoluble in water. v

The dyestufis to be employed in the dyeing fluid may be any suitable dye for the particular yarn to be dyed. Since many advantages are obtained by the use of this process in conjunction with the dyeing of yarns made of cellulose acetate, this invention will be more specifically described with respect to the dyeing of such yarns. The dyestuffs most suitable for the dyeing of cellulose acetate yarn are colored bodies that are relatively insoluble in water, and which, therefore, must be applied in some special solubilized form. A large However, dyes that are soluble in water but which are also soluble in organic solvents such as rosaniline hydrochloride (red) cresyl blue and'auramine (yellow) may be used.

and do not interfere with such as ringspinning, cop spinning, etc. concentration of the dyestuff in the solution is quite variable/and may-vary say from 0.1% to 5.0% of the solvent used. I

As stated before, the liquid containing the dyestufi may be applied. in any suitable manner by the usual means of applying lubricating fluid instance, the yarn may be caused meant cops, bobbins, pirns, hanks, etc.

application of my invention is wound and/or twisted onto an appropriate bobbin or cop spinning machine. When my invention is used in connection with the dry spinning process, the dyeing fluid is applied, to the filaments or yarns on the metier or spinning machine.

particularly advantageous inreducing the amount of clogging of the wicks, and are therefore preyarn is dyed a medium shade of red, which is thereto a solution of a 1,927,145 I of water does not appreciably influence the soluferred to the more in this connection. In order further following specific volatile solvents when used to illustrate my invention the example is given.

Example The following is an example of a method of dyeing cellulose acetate yarn during the process of its manufacture. A dyeing fluid is made up by dissolving one part by weight of methyl amino 8 anthraquinone in 50 parts by weight of mono ethyl ether of diethylene glycol having the following formula:

The solution thus formed is then poured into a small container from which protrudes a soft lamp wick, which dips into the dye solution. Cellulose acetate yarn, which is being formed from the spinnerettes of a dry spinning machine by the extrusion of a solution of cellulose acetate in acetone, is caused to pass across this wick in its passage from the spinning unit to or between rollers, etc. of a suitable winding device. The

fast both to light and scouring and is ready for any textile operation, such as knitting or weaving, since the ethyl ether of diethylene glycol acts as a lubricant.

- If desired the yarn, prior to knitting or weaving, or the fabric after wearing may be given any desired finishing treatment such as washing, scouring, etc. to remove the mono ethyl ether of diethylene glycol. If it is desired to deluster the yarn, the washing or scouring may be done in hot water of a temperature of 75 C. or above, or any other delustering agency.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Method of dyeing yarn containing organic derivatives of cellulose comprising applying dyestuff inmono ethyl ether of diethylene glycol.

2. Method of dyeing yarn containing cellulose acetate comprising applying thereto a solution of a dyestuif in mono ethyl ether of diethylene glycol.

3. Method of dyeing yarn containing cellulose acetate comprising applying to said yarn while it is in transit to a winding device, a substance containing a solution of dyestulf in mono ethyl ether of diethylene glycol.

4. In the dry spinning of filaments or yarns containing cellulose acetate in a metier, the step of applying a dyeing fluid to the filaments or yarns on the metier casing, said dyeing fluid containing a dyestuff for said yarns and mono ethyl ether of diethylene glycol.

5. Method of dyeing yarn containing organic derivatives of cellulose comprising applying thereto a solution of a dyestuif in a compound selected from the group consisting of organic esters and ethers of polyhydric alcohols. I

6. Method of dyeing yarn containing cellulose acetate comprising applying thereto a solution of a dyestutt in a compound selected from the group consisting of organic esters and ethers of polyliydric alcohols.

'7. Method of dyeing yarn containing organic derivatives of cellulose comprising applying to said yarn while it is in transit to a winding device, a substance'containing a solution of a dyestuff in a compound selected from the group consisting of organic'esters and ethers of polyhydric alcohols.

8. In the dry spinning of filaments or yarns containing organic derivatives of cellulose in a metier, the step of applying a'dyeing fluid to the filaments or yarns at the metier casing, ing fluid containing a dyestufl for said yarns dissolved in a substance selected from the group consisting 01 organic esters and ethers of polyhydric alcohols.

9. In the dry spinning of filaments or yarns containing cellulose acetate in a metier, the step of applying a. dyeing fluid to the filaments or yarns at the metier casing, said dyeing fluid containing a dyestufl for said yarns and a compound selected from the group consisting of organic esters and ethers of polyhydric alcohols. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD said dye-3 iao 

